Twitter revamps mobile apps for iPad, iPhone, and Android

Twitter's new iPad app lets you add a header image in the background.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET

Users of the iPad, the iPhone, and Android devices will all spot a few changes the next time they fire up their Twitter app.

Unveiled today, Twitter's iPad app offers a new design that moves the Home, Connect, Discover, and Me categories to the left of the screen. You can now expand a tweet simply by tapping on it to quickly view its summary, and any linked photos or videos. Tapping on a link in a tweet smoothly opens it to reveal the linked Web page.

The Me page has adopted a slicker and cleaner look. The top of the page displays your full profile. A scroll down the page reveals your latest tweets and photos. Tapping on a photo opens it fullscreen. You can then swipe left or right to see other photos you've uploaded and zoom in to the photo by pinching your thumb and index finger.

You'll find links to your followees, followers, favorites, and lists. Twitter also offers a peek at accounts that it considers similar to yours. You can view any Twitter account and see all of the same information, including recent tweets, a photo stream, and similar accounts.

The Activity page is virtually the same but adds a new section called "Who to follow" with suggestions on accounts that may interest you.

Finally, you can add a background header photo to your profile that appears on your mobile Twitter apps and the Twitter Web site. The header photo doesn't replace your regular profile image but instead is designed to complement it. So it can be anything from a photo populated with people to a simple one-color background image.